Key holder



N. E. SHOCK KEY HOLDER July 3,. 1934.

Filed May 25, 19:52

I N VENTOR. War/71w; 56/100 /r,

ATTORNEY.

Patented July 3, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to design a key holder fromwhich any selective key can be projected, so that it can be readilygrasped and turned to position for readily inserting in a lock forlooking or unlocking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a key holder havingluminous thumb rests and identifying indicia for designating certainkeys, so that the desired key can be projected without sorting ortrying.

A further object is to provide a very simple,

neat, and practical key holder which can be readily manufactured andassembled, the various parts being made up of stampings so that massproductions can be secured with resulting economy in production.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consistsin the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes maybe made in the form, size, proportion, and minor details ofconstruction, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of the invention.

In the drawingv Fig. 1 is a side view of my key holder.

Fig. 2 is also a side view, with the side wall broken away and showingone of the keys projected upwardly.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view.

Fig. 4 is a detail side view of one of the division plates.

Fig. 5 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 6 is a detail side view of one of the project ing levers. I

Fig. 7 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view through the I of the key, and whenthe owner desires to use 95 holder.

In using a conventional key holder or ring, considerable time isrequired to select the proper key to fit the lock to be unlocked, andwhen the ring or holder is used by a person other than'the owner, theproper key can be found only by the fit and try method.

There are at present on the market a number of designs of key holders,each of which is designed to contain the keys within the confines of thecase or holder, thereby providing a neat, compact structure in which thekeys are held in an orderly manner, eliminating wear and tear of theowners garment pockets, and doing away with the jingling and noiseoccasioned by loose keys; however, none of these designs with which I amfamiliar provide key identifying means, as well as means for projectingthe desired key, and I have therefore designed a holder from which theproper key can be selected and projected without removal of gloves ormittens, where, from the 50 nature of the climate, gloves or mittensmust be worn.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing in which I have shown thepreferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 indicates a case orholder in which a number of keys 6 are secured, said holder comprisingspaced apart side and bottom walls bent on the line '7 to provide astructure, U-shaped in cross section, the bottom wall being shorter thanthe side walls to provide open ends, said wall limiting the downwardswing of the projecting levers and keys, as hereinafter described.

Spaced apart division plates 8 are provided in the holder, and the keymembers 6 are interposed between said plates, said keys being pivotallymounted on a transversely disposed, internally threaded sleeve member 9which is mounted in the holder, and a screw 10 serves to secure saidsleeve in position.

A similar sleeve and screw arrangement 9 and 10 respectivelyis mountedin the opposite end of the holder, and projecting levers 11 arepivotally mounted thereon, said levers being formed as clearly shown inFigs. 6 and 7 of the drawing, the

upper ends projecting slightly beyond the edges of the division plates,and are-turned to form thumb rests-12 to facilitate manipulation, eachrest being suitably'treated with luminous paint,

and has provided thereon suitable identifying in dicia such as H -forhouse, G for garage,

A for automobile, etc. The lower end or leg 13 of the lever projects atan angle from the main body, the end being rounded to engage the edgehis house key, he merely places his thumb on the rest marked H, (shownin dotted lines in Fig. 2) moving the lever to position as shown insolid lines in the same figure; this movement swings the leg 13 upwardlyforcing the free end of the selected key out of the holder and toposition where it can be readily grasped.

Stops 14 are provided on each of the division plates and limit the swingof the lever 11, these stops being formed by punching and turning astrip or section 15. so that it spans the passage between the plates.

It will, of course. be understood that the leg and thumb rest of eachprojecting lever is disposed at a different angle, and further, that thestops 14 are staggered, so that the thumb rests will be properly spacedand to provide clearance.

I wish to direct particular attention to the fact that the upper edgesof the division plates lie in a plane slightly below the top edge of theholder, so that the thumb rests do not project beyond the holder.

From the foregoing description it will be ob vious that I have perfecteda very simple, practical, and convenient key holder of neat appearance,which has no projecting comers or edges, and from which any selected,identified key can be projected.

What I claim is: I

1. A key holder comprising a rectangular housing, a key pivotallymounted in one end thereof, an ejection lever pivotally mounted in theopposite end and at a point intermediate its ends, one end projectingbeneath the free end of the key,

and a luminous thumb rest on the other end of said lever and adapted tobe actuated for positively projecting the free end of the key out ofsaid housing.

2. A key holder comprising a housing, keys pivotally mounted in one endthereof, ejection levers pivotally mounted in the opposite end and at apoint intermediate their ends, one end of said levers engaging the freeends of the keys, an exposed thumb rest on the opposite end oi eachlever and provided with identifying indicia thereon, said leverspositively ejecting the free ends of the keys when the thumb rest isactuated, and means on said holder for limiting the travel of saidlevers.

3. A key holder comprising sides and bottom walls, division platesmounted in said holder in spaced apart relation keys pivotally mountedin one end of said holder, ejection levers pivotally mounted in theopposite end and at a point intermediate their ends, one end projectingbeneath the free ends of the keys, a thumb rest on the opposite end ofsaid levers and provided with identiiying indicia thereon, said leverspositively ejecting the free ends of the keys when actuated, and stopsfor limiting the travel of said levers.

4. A key holder comprising side and bottom walls, division platesmounted in said holder in spaced apart relation, keys pivotally mountedin the end of said holder and interposed between said plates, leverspivotally mounted in the opposite end and also interposed between saidplates, each lever engaging the free end of one of said keys, indicatingthumb rests on the levers and flush with the upper edges of the divisionplates, and stops on said plates tor limiting the ejecting movement ofsaid levers.

5. A key holder comprising a housing, spaced apart division platesmounted therein, keys pivotally secured in one end of the housing and interposed between said plates, levers pivotally mounted in the oppositeends of the housing and projecting beneath said keys, a thumb rest oneach lever and provided with identifying indicia thereon, said leverspositively projecting a selected key as the lever is actuated.

NORMAN E. SHQOK.

